I wonder how many teachers tried to talk him down in the same manner and didn't succeed? Kind of reminds me of the kid that made headlines a couple years ago for trying to "start a dialogue" with his carjacker and wound up dead.

I really think this teacher's bravery is mindblowing, but contrary to the post he didn't really talking him out of killing, he got him off his guard long enough to shove and lock him in a room where the kid eventually shot himself.posted by skallas at 4:11 PM on April 28, 2002

nevertheless skallas, the teacher is a hero, and the shooter cowardly.posted by quonsar at 4:14 PM on April 28, 2002

Oh yeah, the teacher is truly a hero, but I just wanted to clarify the bit about him taking the initiative and doing something other than talk. Art teacher? Who would have guessed.posted by skallas at 4:22 PM on April 28, 2002

I'm sure that punk thought he was a bad motherfucker. But he failed to recognize that being young only makes you think you're invincible.posted by kindall at 4:45 PM on April 28, 2002

CNN is reporting:

"Grube said authorities believe the killer had a Web site and were investigating a home page bearing his name and picture. But someone changed the page 12 hours after his death, Grube said, raising the possibility that the current version is bogus."

in the Paris suburb of Nanterre... killing eight councilors and wounding more than a dozen other people.

armored car heists using rocket-propelled grenades

dramatic slaying of a policeman in Vannes, in northwestern France, by a man armed with a Kalashnikov rifle and a .357-caliber handgun

Switzerland, a gunman.... a regional parliament meeting in Zug on Sept. 27, killing 14 people and wounding 14 more

Netherlands... a 17-year-old shot and wounded five peopleposted by NortonDC at 5:03 PM on April 28, 2002

Yeah, Europe is socking to the US when it comes to violence. That German killed more people than the Columbine guys (ditto for the Dunblane school massacre).. although there were two Columbine guys so if you count the suicides, the totals are the same AFAIR.posted by wackybrit at 5:45 PM on April 28, 2002

Of course it was the video games, i mean there is no way, that the fact he ruined his chances of going to University and getting a decent job had anything to do with it.posted by Zool at 6:11 PM on April 28, 2002

“I'm sure that punk thought he was a bad motherfucker.”

Oh, no, no, no. I can almost positively assure you that this kid, Steinhauser, thought just the opposite of himself.posted by raaka at 6:33 PM on April 28, 2002

re: violent video games to blame for massacre?In a sign that the bloodbath may feature in the campaign for national elections this year, Edmund Stoiber, conservative challenger to Schroeder, said violent games should be banned.

According to Der Spiegel news magazine, Steinhauser spent much of his time playing violent computer video games. His favourite was called "Counterstrike" in which anti-terror units wearing masks battle each other to death.

So that's two paragraphs on games, while a bad relationship with his parents gets a quote..
A former classmate, Isabell Hartung, told Reuters that Steinhauser was intelligent and well-liked by his peers. But she said he often fought with teachers and had "bad relations with his parents."

Silly question, but I wonder why the kid didn't try to escape from the art room. I mean he could have just shot the door open...posted by timyang at 7:47 PM on April 28, 2002

yeah, but he must have known he was going to get caught sooner or later. he probably expected to get shot by police or to kill himself eventually, this isn't the type of thing you usually walk away from.posted by Hackworth at 8:32 PM on April 28, 2002

Anti-terror units battle each other to death? Who writes this stuff?posted by ODiV at 9:12 PM on April 28, 2002

Shoot the door open? Actually, it occurred to me when I read the article that it was very odd to have a school room door that couldn't be unlocked from the inside. Could that be accurate?posted by DevilsAdvocate at 11:05 AM on April 29, 2002

According to this report, the teacher locked himself in a storage room to hide. He opened the door when he heard someone outside and found himself confronting the killer. He then showed his adaptiblity.

It's interesting that "taking refuge in the storage room" has become "stepping out of an art classroom" in the retelling. I wonder who needs a hero in this case.posted by joaquim at 11:24 AM on April 29, 2002

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